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Carter Family Fold

Hiltons, VA -- Saturday, February 20th, 2016, at 7:30 p.m. the Carter Family Fold in Hiltons, Virginia, will present a concert of bluegrass music by Jonah Riddle and Carolina Express. Carolina Express was formed by brothers Jonah and Grayson Riddle. Jonah is 16, and Grayson is 11. Growing up in the mountains of western North Carolina, Jonah has been playing the banjo for 4 and ½ years now. From the first time he picked up the instrument, he fell in love. He started out playing at church three times a week. Because he enjoys bluegrass and gospel music so much, he decided to start his own band – Jonah Riddle & Carolina Express. Jonah’s brother, Grayson, plays guitar and does vocals. He has been playing guitar for almost 2 years. From the time he was only 5 years old, he would pick the guitar at church services. Jonah and Grayson credit the Lord for their playing and singing talent. Their dad, Benjie Riddle, plays the upright bass. The Riddles are bringing along an outstanding fiddle player – Mary Rachel Nalley – who plays fiddle for the Kody Norris Band.

Formed in the summer of 2015, High Test Grass is a band that prides itself on delivering a high-octane bluegrass sound. The band draws heavily on material from both 1st and 2nd generation classic bluegrass bands and mixes in a measure of contemporary bluegrass material. Saturday, February 13th, 2016, at 7:30 p.m., the Carter Family Fold in Hiltons, Virginia, will present a concert of bluegrass music by High Test Grass.

Hiltons, VA -- Saturday, February 6th, 2016, at 7:30 p.m., the Carter Family Fold in Hiltons, Virginia, will present a concert of old time music by the Empty Bottle String Band. The Bottles are made up of Stephanie Jeter on autoharp, bass and vocals; Kristal Harman on guitar and vocals; Tyler Hughes on banjo, banjo uke, and vocals; and Ryan Nickerson on fiddle and mandolin. The band has become a favorite at festivals and venues throughout the southeast region and one of East Tennessee’s most popular old time groups.

Saturday, January 30th, 2016, at 7:30 p.m. the Carter Family Fold in Hiltons, Virginia, will present a concert of bluegrass music by the Tyler Williams Band. Tyler Williams grew up in Ohio and moved to Johnson City, Tennessee, to study bluegrass music. Tyler is blind and has cerebral palsy, but he has never let that hold him back. His interest in music began when he was just a year old. His first instrument was a keyboard his grandfather gave him, and he was playing it by age four. At age five, Tyler started taking classical piano lessons by ear.

Fast Train was organized over twelve years ago. Teddy Helton plays bass. He plays with the Appalachian Celtic Band Fire in the Kitchen as well. Howard Burchett plays guitar. Howard is from Washington County, Virginia. He played for many years with local musical favorite Bill McCall and has jammed with Conway Twitty. Randy Singleton is featured on vocals and plays the banjo and dobro. A musician for 40 years, Randy has played in several area bands including Crosscut and the Cumberland Mountain Boys. Glenn Harlow plays the mandolin and does vocals. Playing and singing since early childhood, he learned to sing gospel music from his mother and father. He is a studio musician and a veteran of many Mountain Empire bluegrass and acoustic groups. Kevin Jackson does the fiddling for the group. From Bristol, Kevin is well known to Carter Fold audiences. One of the area’s finest fiddlers, Kevin knows how to keep the audience on the dance floor. He’ll also be helping out on vocals.

Hiltons, VA -- On Saturday, January 9th, 2016, at 7:30 p.m. the Carter Family Fold in Hiltons, Virginia, will present a concert of bluegrass music by a long time popular group at the Fold, the McLain Family Band.

Saturday, January 2, 2016, at 7:30 p.m., the Carter Family Fold in Hiltons, Virginia, will present a concert of bluegrass and old time music by the Glen Harlow Band. This will be a fine start to the 2016 music season at the historic Carter Fold.

Saturday, December 26th, 2016, at 7:30 p.m., the Carter Family Fold in Hiltons, Virginia, will present a concert of old time music by the Grayson Highlands Band with special guest Adam Steffey. Admission to the concert is $10 for adults, $1 for children 6 to 11, under age 6 free.

Saturday, December 19th, 2015, at 7:30 p.m. the Carter Family Fold in Hiltons, Virginia, will present a special Christmas program. In lieu of admission, please bring a donation of canned goods for the local food bank (suggested amount $10 per person). Those not bringing a canned goods donation are asked to make a donation of $10 for adults with all proceeds going to the Food Bank. Anyone under 12 will be admitted free of charge. Those attending are asked to bring finger foods, two-liter drinks, and cups, plates, or napkins. Christmas music will be performed as refreshments are served. Afterwards, we’ll have music by Carolina Express. Musicians donate their time for this special Christmas show.

Hiltons, VA -- As long as bluegrass music has echoed through the hills and valleys of the Appalachian region, musicians of all ages have gathered together to play and preserve their favorite style of music. This southwestern Virginia group showcases the traditional songs of yesterday, along with the driving sound of a modern style. The group began doing back porch picking and performing at local events seven years ago. Town Branch Bluegrass is now one of the region’s hottest new bands. Saturday, December 5th, 2015, at 7:30 p.m. the Carter Family Fold in Hiltons, Virginia, will present a concert by the Town Branch Bluegrass band.

Hiltons, VA -- Saturday, November 28, 2015, at 7:30 p.m. the Carter Family Fold in Hiltons, Virginia, will present a concert of Appalachian music by Emi Sunshine. It’s impossible to explain the exceptional talents of Emi Sunshine, a 10-year old east Tennessee prodigy who has captured the nation’s attention as a singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. Steeped in Appalachian music, she is a true vocal stylist, one who instinctively knows how to interpret the nuances of a song with her impressive range, even though she has yet to gain the life experience and empathy seemingly necessary to fully comprehend the words she sings. Despite a given name that reflects optimism, she is drawn to dark themes in music – like that of the Louvin Brothers. The Tennessean is just the latest to describe her as an old soul – noting Onstage, this soul’s presence is commanding and her singing voice authentic and folksy. While her youth might remind many of Taylor Swift, a more apt comparison would be to artists such as Dolly Parton, Alison Krauss, or members of the Carter Family.

The New Ballard’s Branch Bogtrotters took their group’s name from the original Bogtrotters, the famous Galax, Virginia, area band of the 1930s, and because band leader Dennis Hall lives on Ballard’s Branch. Galax is home to the world-renowned Old Time Fiddler’s Convention, and the area has traditionally produced some of the country’s finest old time string bands. Carrying on that rich musical tradition, the New Ballard’s Branch Bogtrotters features Dennis Hall on guitar, Leon Frost on mandolin, Jesse Morris on bass, Eddie Bond on fiddle, and Josh Ellis on banjo. The guys have been playing together for over nearly fifteen years. Saturday, November 21st, 2015, at 7:30 p.m. the Carter Family Fold in Hiltons, Virginia, will present a concert by the New Ballard’s Branch Bogtrotters old time band.

Hiltons, VA -- Carson Peters, or “Fiddlin’ Carson Peters,” as he is becoming known, started playing fiddle at the ripe old age of three when his parents bought him a 1/8 size fiddle. By age four, he was playing in fiddle competitions and jamming at musical festivals. Carson has continued to hone the fiddling and singing talents that God so graciously blessed him with and has won many competitions along the way. Saturday, November 14th, 2015, at 7:30 p.m., the Carter Family Fold in Hiltons, Virginia, will present a concert by the Fiddlin’ Carson Peters Band.

Hiltons, VA -- Wayne Henderson’s top-notch finger-picking is a source of great pleasure and pride to his friends, family, and neighbors in Grayson County, Virginia. His guitar playing has also been enjoyed at Carnegie Hall, in three national tours of Masters of the Steel-String Guitar, and in seven nations in Asia. In addition to his reputation as a guitarist, Henderson is a luthier of great renown. He is a recipient of a 1995 National Heritage Award presented by the National Endowment for the Arts. He produces about twenty instruments a year, mostly guitars; he is almost as well-known for the mandolins he has made. Doc Watson owned a Henderson mandolin.

Sunday, November 1st, 2015, at 2:30 p.m., the Carter Family Fold in Hiltons, Virginia, will present a special gospel concert by Eugene Wolf, Mitya Kuznetsov, Ronnie Williams, Tim White, and Teddy Helton. 2015 marks the eighth annual gospel event in honor of Janette Carter. Admission to the concert is $10 for adults, children ages 6 to 11 $3, under age 6 free. Tickets will be available only at the door on the day of the concert. Doors will open at 1:00 p.m.